Spain’s World Cup failure brings inevitable end to an era

Spain’s Xavi and Xabi Alonso will most likely play their last match for Spain against Australia (Picture: AP)

When Spain take the field against Australia in Curitiba on Monday afternoon, not only will they be bidding farewell to the 2014 World Cup but also to some of the players who have been key to their team for the last decade. After the disappointing 2-0 defeat to Chile, the consensus between fan and media is clear: it’s time for a change.

Players like Liverpool’s Pepe Reina, Xabi Alonso and David Villa will most likely be playing their last ever match for their national squad, while some others might not be able to bow out on the pitch, as Xavi is out injured and Iker Casillas could start the match on the bench, after yet another big mistake against Chile.

Following the defeat against the South Americans, Alonso stated that the squad ‘lacked hunger’, words that did not go down well in the dressing room and that have been refuted by players and management, even though manager Vicente Del Bosque did state before the tournament in an interview with FIFA.com that ‘the look in the players’ eyes had changed’ after much sustained success.

Further controversy sparked when Del Bosque was angered by Cesc Fabregas’ attitude in training, with the new Chelsea player being demoted to the reserve team in the training match.

I think about all of them but the players only think about themselves – Spain manager Vicente del Bosque

The question is therefore whether the change must only apply to the aforementioned senior players or also to younger ones like Fabregas or fellow Chelsea team-mate Fernando Torres, who has not been a sustained first choice for Spain for some time now.

With his last noticeable performance for his country being against Tahiti in the Confederations Cup last year (when he scored four goals in a 10-0 romp), it is hard to find a reason to keep him in the team. Other players like David Silva, Gerard Piqué and Pedro also need to step up their performances if Spain are to replicate their success in previous tournaments or risk being dropped… if Del Bosque can get over his nostalgia.

Nevertheless, it seems like the former Real Madrid manager has had enough as seen with the Fabregas incident and also with his statement that ‘I think about all of them but the players only think about themselves’, a first-of-a-kind criticism since he became Spain coach back in 2008.

The situation reminisces of 2004, when Spain were knocked out in the group stages of the European Championships in Portugal and there was a call for renovation. It took four years for Spain’s renovation under Luis Aragonés to pay its dividends but Spanish fans will agree that the wait was worth it.

Now, after the disappointment, exciting yet uncertain times lie ahead of the Spanish national team’s future but the fans still seem to back Del Bosque to be the man to nurture this new generation.

Only time will tell whether he is the right man to lead this new revolution but the lack of alternatives might sway the Spanish Football Federation to keep their man, even though the option of his resignation has been touted in the Spanish media.

In any case, Spain’s golden generation is something of the past and while there is plenty of talent to replace them, it’s highly unlikely that they will be able to replicate the success of their predecessors.